Almost a month after the launch of the new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro 3, Apple enthusiasts have their sights set on the M5 MacBook Pro. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Apple fans are always impatient for the next big thing—even if they don’t plan on buying it. And of course, there’s no stopping Tim and co. So I guess that works out well for both parties.
While sources are suggesting that the folks at Apple might just drop the M5 bomb this fall, some are also reporting that it might get pushed to the spring of 2026, once the ‘Back to School’ promotion ends.
Honestly, we don’t really care when it launches—we’re not the ones standing in endless queues on day one. But we do care about you and hope that you don’t end up making a stupid mistake by ending up with the wrong products, so without any further ado, it is time to take a sneak peek at what Apple has lined up for its Mac enthusiasts this time around. So drumroll, please!
Design
The MacBook Pro had undergone its last major redesign in 2021—and honestly, at that time, it felt like it was at its peak. Ever since, we haven’t seen any upgrade to the said ‘peak’; does that feel relatable? Reports suggest the upcoming M5 won’t shake things up either, so we’re still stuck with the same look for now. But a big redesign could arrive with the M6 in 2026.
There also has been some flying news that Apple is likely to introduce a new colour. Let’s just hope it’s not that outrageous orange because the last thing I need is my MacBook looking like a traffic cone on my desk.
Display
No display changes are expected this year. Reliable sources have confirmed that OLED production is underway, which may not be featured until 2026. Looking ahead, there are rumours that the M6 generation could even introduce a touchscreen MacBook Pro—though that might be delayed until 2027. This is some god-level procrastination being cooked at the Apple HQ.
Camera
We thought that the third time might be the charm and that we would see something new here, but again, we have nothing new to report. No camera changes are expected. Whilst the M4 variant had a 12MP FaceTime camera, we are really hoping to see an upgraded 18MP camera in the upcoming M5 MacBook Pro. So, for now, let’s just say cheese! Lactose intolerant? Let it be.
Specs
The stuff you are about to read might seem more complicated than learning the basics of a foreign language. The upcoming M5 is expected to feature Wi-Fi 7 via the iPhone 17’s N1 chip, improving Bluetooth, Personal Hotspot, and AirDrop, with Thunderbolt 5 possibly coming to the base model. A 5G modem for Macs is in development, but it is unlikely to be available before 2026.
Anyways, you can pretend like you understood everything and move on—and if you actually did, go ahead and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.
With no major upgrades to the design, display, and camera, it seems like a rather underwhelming update as of now. However, as the song “The Man Who Sold the World” puts it, “who knows, not me… we never lost control,” they might just surprise us. Until then, one thing can be said for sure: whether it be this fall or spring, we are not falling for this new ‘MacBook gambit: the M5 variation’.
